I recently had a chance to go on a survival course in the heart of the jungle on the side of El Hoyo, a volcano, outside the city of Leon in Nicaragua.
It was an experience that challenged me both mentally and physically. Over three days and two nights, I returned to nature by learning to hunt and move quietly through the forest. What was striking to me was how much I moved my body. Ducking under branches, climbing over fallen trees, holding my breath, and trying not to sweat as something to hunt came into view.
In the evenings, we built a fire and cooked what we had caught, in our case, an Iguana and a rabbit…the volcano provides…
But I was amazed at how sore I was.
I’m meant to be a movement guy. I recently ran 50 miles and climbed seven volcanoes, all within two weeks, not even a pulled muscle.
However, there is a difference between hiking and hunting.
In just 3 days, my ears got better at identifying bird calls and judging distances. I worked my jaw and teeth hard, picking the meat of the unusual bones.
My breath control became more acute, and somehow, my balance improved.
(I’m not recommending everyone go hunting, but simply bird-watching or trying to take animal photos will have the same effect).
In the evenings, I sat cross-legged by the fire; this position was once my nemesis. I fixed that by removing the chairs in my house and sitting on the floor for a year. Now, sitting crossed-legged isn’t a pleasure, but it’s tolerable.
But sitting there, tending the fire, and thinking about how humans have been hunting and sitting by fires for tens of thousands of years, and yet most people in the ‘developed world have yet to do it.
It seems like such a waste of our innate skills, like driving a Ferrari and never taking it out of first gear.
Our bodies are capable of much more than what we use them for.
I now know a few physicians that prescribe camping for stress, and I fully agree. Getting out there and going through a nature reset can profoundly change your physiology and state of mind.
If you want to learn more about how lifestyle medicine can help you obtain optimal help, just email or DM me, and I’ll get back to you.
If you want to see a short video of my adventures, check out my new YouTube channel: